I have said already how that my Lord Darnley was advised to suit license to come into Scotland, who at his first coming found the Queen in the Wemyss, making her progress through Fife. Her Majesty took well with him, and said that he was the lustiest and best proportioned long {tall} man that she had seen, for he was of high stature, long and small, even and upright; well instructed from his youth in all honest and comely exercises. And after he had hanted {frequented} a while in Court, he proposed marriage to her Majesty; which she took in evil part at the first, as she told me that same day herself, and how she had refused the ring which he then offered unto her, when I took occasion, as I had begun, to speak in his favour, that their marriage would put out of doubt their title to the succession. I cannot tell how he fell in acquaintance with Seigneur David {Rizzio}, but he also was his great friend at the Queen's hand; so that her Majesty took aye the longer the better liking of him, and at length determined to marry him. Which being known unto Queen Elizabeth, she sent and charged him to return; and also sent her ambassador, Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, into Scotland, both to dissuade the Queen to marry him, and in case the Queen would not follow her advice in her marriage, to persuade the lords and so many as were of her religion to withstand the said marriage, unless the Lord Darnley would promise and subscribe to abide at the religion reformed, which he had plainly professed in England. The Queen again perceiving the Queen of England's earnest opposition to all the marriages that were offered unto her, thought not meet to delay any longer her marriage. But my Lord Duke of Châtelherault, my Lords of Argyll, Murray, Glencairn, Rothes, and divers others, lords and barons, withstood the said marriage; who after they had made a mind to take the Lord Darnley, in the Queen's company, at the raid of Beath, and to have sent him into England, as they alleged--I wot not what was in their mind, but it was an evil-favoured enterprize, wherein the Queen was in great danger other than {that of} keeping or heartbreaking; and as they that had failed of their foolish enterprize, took on plainly their arms of rebellion, her Majesty again convened forces against them, and chased them here and there till at length they were compelled to flee into England for refuge, to her that had promised by her ambassadors to wear her crown in their defence, in case they were driven to any strait for their opposition unto the said marriage. Which was all denied at their coming to seek help; and when they sent up my Lord of Murray to that Queen, the rest abiding at Newcastle, he could obtain nothing but disdain and scorn; till at length he and the Abbot of Kilwinning, his companion in that message, were persuaded to come and confess unto the Queen upon their knees, and that in presence of the ambassadors of France and